Sept. 19-25, 2011

Today in the News Media

Today in the News Media is a synopsis of some of the most prominent coverage of OSU people and programs. Inclusion of any item constitutes neither an endorsement nor a critique, but rather is intended only to make the OSU community aware of significant items in the media.

A science team coordinated by the International Whaling Commission has attached satellite tags to five more of the highly endangered whales, according to an announcement by Oregon State University, which is taking part in the study. Researchers hope to tag 10 more whales before field work concludes. (see also San Francisco Chronicle, Newsday, Washington Post)

(see pages 8-9) From the time he was a first-grader who followed his older brother and friends on an unofficial “field trip” out of their Catholic New York City neighborhood because he was promised he could peek through a fence at children who would look excitingly odd, Ed Ray has instead seen plenty to fix about the way a dominant culture tends to see and react to the many smaller cultures it encounters.

For years, Melissa Cheyney, a licensed midwife and Oregon State University medical anthropologist who chairs the state Board of Direct-Entry Midwifery, has not taken a position on mandatory licensing even as she’s studied mortality rates and pushed for better reporting of birth outcomes. (see also ABC News)

Oregon State University’s efforts to expand its technology transfer operations paid off, with royalties from university-produced research growing 63 percent in the fiscal year to $4 million. (see also Statesman Journal, Columbian, Washington Examiner)

A small band of researchers at Oregon State University and the University of Oregon won a powerful piece of vindication this month from the National Science Foundation, which awarded the team a five-year, $20 million grant to expand its work in “sustainable” nanotechnology. (see also KEZI, Bio-Medicine)

After an all-night bargaining session, a tentative agreement has been made between the Oregon University System and the OUS Bargaining Team, which represents the SEIU Local 503 union. (see also Gazette-Times, Statesman Journal)

In 1995, the terrestrial camp landed an extraordinary boon as Yellowstone National Park gave William Ripple, director of Oregon State University’s Trophic Cascades Program, the chance to study top-down forcing in action.

Oregon Sea Grant, the coastal and marine research and education program based at Oregon State University (OSU), celebrates its fortieth anniversary Sept. 17, and Governor John Kitzhaber has proclaimed the date “Oregon Sea Grant Day.”

A new $2.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and Oregon State University will allow the most advanced seagoing technical personnel and their expertise to support science in the world’s northernmost seas.

But some (perhaps even most) of this primordial water may still be trapped inside the Earth. This bizarre possibility received a boost in August when a team from Oregon State University claimed to have found evidence for vast amounts of water deep below the surface.

Researchers out of Oregon State University, meanwhile, were able to prove that sulforaphane selectively targeted and killed diseased cells in prostate cancer while leaving normal cells healthy in their study earlier this year.

Besides OWET, Oregon is also home to the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (a test center for wave and tidal power technologies co-hosted by Oregon State University and the University of Washington, and funded in part by OWET and the DOE), and the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at OSU’s top-ranked Coastal and Ocean Engineering program.

“There is a wide range of eddy strengths and sizes, but water typically circulates around an eddy — the eddy ‘rotates’ — at speeds of 5 to 15 miles per day,” said study researcher Roger Samelson, a physical oceanographer at Oregon State University.

Ben, a 2009 Corvallis High School graduate, was one of thousands of students moving into residence halls Sunday. They hailed from all over the world; on Ben’s floor alone, students made trips from as near as the Portland area to as far as Africa.

The grass seed industry began trying to get into the Chinese market in the 1980s. The Agriculture Department and Oregon State University specialists helped Chinese agronomists learn how to care for the Oregon grasses, and officials say China is now one of the largest grass seed export markets.

“We think that investing in strong parenting is one of the most effective ways we could be spending our resources because parents are their children’s most important teachers,” said Mary Louise McClintock, early childhood program director at the Oregon Community Foundation, a partner in the program along with Oregon State University and The Ford Family Foundation. “Parenting programs have been proven to help strengthen family relationships and child outcomes.”

A new study funded by the U.S. Potato Board and conducted by Oregon State University has confirmed the superior quality and value of U.S. French fries in head-to-head tests against the competition in export markets.

Bee specialists here from the mainland to give conference presentations include Dewey Caron, Ph.D., University of Delaware emeritus professor of entomology & wildlife ecology and affiliate faculty member at Oregon State University-Corvallis’s Horticulture Department and a continuing researcher into Africanized bees in the Americas.

Kneading West has responded by focusing more on malting. This includes Oregon State University barley breeder Patrick Hayes co-directing a malting workshop, and OSU cereal chemist Andrew Ross sharing formulas for adding malted barley flour to breads to maintain freshness and add fiber.

Corvallis, the home of Oregon State University, had the fewest manufacturing employers of all of the urban areas. The region had about 100 business units. Corvallis, like Bend, accounts for 2 percent of the state’s manufacturing employment.

Former Gov. Barbara Roberts’ new memoir, Up the Capitol Steps: A Woman’s March to the Governorship,(Oregon State University Press) is a highly readable account of Roberts’ path to becoming Oregon’s first female governor. (see also Oregon Live)

In America’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, pollution from sewage systems was acidifying the more saline regions of the waterbody, jeopardising the health of oysters, according to a Oregon State University study in 2009.

Mylen Bohle, an Oregon State University Extension Service agronomist in Prineville, said a confluence of market circumstances is at work. Farmers switching to wheat or corn gain a nitrogen “fix” provided to the soil by years of growing alfalfa, he said. That allows them to reduce fertilizer use, save money and pad the profit margin — another reason to switch from hay.

A new dairy dehorning poster by Aurora Villarroel, DVM, MPVM, PhD, Extension veterinarian at Oregon State University, can assist veterinarians in training their dairy clients and employees to effectively dehorn baby calves using dehorning paste with a minimum of discomfort.

Monday

HHMI symposium: Students in OSU’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute will present their findings in the 13th annual HHMI Summer Symposium Sept.19-20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Talks will be held in ALS 4000 and 4001 and a complete schedule of them is available at the HHMI Web Site

Equity and Inclusion: Join the staff to learn more about the Office of Equity and Inclusion. We will be discussing ongoing efforts, introducing new initiatives, and responding to comments and questions. You are welcome to bring your lunch; cold beverages will be provided. The first 15 minutes will be time for informal gathering. The remainder of the time will be used for more structured engagement; however, you are welcome to join at any time and leave as needed. Sept. 19, 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., MU 213.

CGRB Public Lecture: The Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing presents a Public Lecture featuring Richard “Ed” Green of UC Santa Cruz. He will be presenting a talk entitled “Recent Human Evolution as Revealed by Ancient Hominin Genomes.” Sept. 19, at 3:30 p.m. at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center. Free.

Research Commercialization: Free on-line series of seven lectures beginning Tuesday Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. that is designed to help science and engineering researchers better understand how research commercialization works. Register for this event at http://center.ncet2.org/ or instead join OCCD in Memorial Union Room 206 to participate and ask questions. Refreshments will be provided.

New Student Convocation: Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. in Gill Coliseum. President Ed Ray, Larry Roper and keynote speaker Joseph Orosco, OSU Associate Professor of Philosophy, will share words of welcome and insight. At 3:15 p.m. new students and their parent/family members will gather at the MU Quad to walk down to Gill Coliseum for Convocation. Interested faculty can participate by walking with students from their respective colleges.

New Student Picnic: From 5 to 8 p.m., Sept. 20 in the MU Quad. Dinner tickets may be purchased for $7 prior to the event at any OSU dining center.

Wednesday

Network Services: Candidate for the Networking Services Director position Mitch Davidson will hold a campus forum Sept. 21 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in Owen Hall 102. Davidson was formerly chief information officer at Bemidji State University in Minnesota.

Webinar: “Anonymous or Not? The Pros and Cons of Using Clickers in Registration Mode,” Elizabeth C. Scheyder will share reasons to use clickers, how much weight a vote should carry when tracked and how tracking students with a participant list can be used to encourage participation and situations where students want their responses to be private. Wednesday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m to noon. Online Webinar. To register visit http://oregonstate.edu/tac/webinars. For more information: kevinowens@turningtechnologies.com, 1-866-746-3015 or tac@oregonstate.edu.

Public Sale at the OSUsed Store: The OSUsed Store is open for its public sale Wednesday, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 644 SW 13th St. Departments may shop weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Wednesday mornings, but personal purchases may only be made during public sale hours. For more information, please visit http://surplus.oregonstate.edu

Lab safety workshop: Environmental Health and Safety is offering Laboratory Safety Training on Sept. 21, from 10 to 11:50 am. Matt Philpott, OSU Biological Safety Officer, will present the class in Kelley Engineering Center (KEC) room 1001. The class covers basic laboratory safety topics and is geared for everyone who works (or has classes) in a lab. It is for new and experienced lab personnel. Pre-register by emailing kay.miller@oregonstate.edu (include name and OSU ID number).

Thursday

Car Free Day: Go Car Free Sept. 22 on World Car Free Day. Organized by the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition and sponsored by the OSU Sustainability Office. Use the bus, your bike, and your feet. Ten city-wide check-in sites from 7-9 a.m. with snacks, transportation info, prizes, and bike safety checks plus the Festival at Central Park 4-7 p.m. The OSU site is on the Brick Mall. More info at: http://tiny.cc/carfreeday2011

New employee breakfast: Provost Sabah Randhawa invites all new employees to a welcome breakfast and conversation about being a part of the OSU community on University Day, Sept. 22, from 8 to 9:30 a.m., in the Club Level of Reser Stadium. Employees who have joined the University over the past year are encouraged to attend the breakfast and then proceed to other University Day activities. Registration for the breakfast by Sept. 19 is required.

University Day: Two sessions will be presented in the afternoon of University Day, “Universal Access: Universal Success” and “Coming Soon to a Campus Near You”. Join us for all the festivities, including the free lunch, or just come for these informational sessions scheduled for the LaSells Stewart Center, C&E Auditorium. More details available at the University Day website.

Lane County office of the OSU Extension Service celebrates 100 YEARS: Open House will be held Sept. 22, from 2:30 to 6 p.m., 783 Grant St., Eugene in the Rainbow Valley Design & Construction building. (Grant Street is a half block south of 7th between Garfield and Chambers). Free. Light refreshments will be served.

Upcoming Events

NEW! STEM seminar: The Department of Science and Mathematics Education in collaboration with the (future) Center for Research on Lifelong STEM Learning presents an NSF-Supported 2020 Vision seminar with William R. Penuel, professor of education at University of Colorado, Boulder. He will speak on “Analyzing the Mutual Constitution of Persons and Cultural Practices in STEM Learning Research” on Sept. 28 from 4 to 5 p.m. in Kidder 202.

NEW! Book discussion: Join Sonny Montes—a leader in Oregon’s early Chicano movement—and Glenn Anthony May, with special guests John Little and Jose Romero, for a discussion of Mexican American activism in Oregon. May is the author of “Sonny Montes and Mexican American Activism in Oregon,” recently published by OSU Press. Sept. 29, 4 p.m. MU Journey Room. Booksigning will follow.

NEW! Keith Scribner reading: Award-winning author Keith Scribner, an Oregon State University faculty member, will read from his newly released novel, “The Oregon Experiment,” on Friday, Sept. 30, at OSU’s Valley Library main rotunda. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.; a book signing follows.

NEW! 4-H Information Night: Thursday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m., at the Benton County Fairgrounds auditorium. Teens, children and their families can learn about 4-H and the many project areas available in Benton County. If you cannot attend 4-H Information Night but still want information on the Benton County 4-H program, call the OSU Extension Service, Benton County office at 766-6750 or http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton/4h

NEW! Reception for Ron Adams: Ron Adams will soon begin his appointment as Executive Associate Vice President for Research. The OSU community is invited to a reception to recognize his 13-year leadership as dean of the College of Engineering: Friday Oct. 7, 3 – 5 pm, MU 109.

Faculty Assessment Academy: The Faculty Assessment Academy promotes assessment activities in academic and academic support units as an ongoing institutional process that enhances student learning experiences for all undergraduate and graduate students. This will establish networks to support ongoing assessment at all levels. It takes place Oct. 5, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Willamette Room 115, CH2M HILL Alumni Center. For more information: http://oregonstate.edu/conferences/event/faa2011/

Sustainability stewards: Are you into energy saving and sustainable living practices at home? Become a Neighborhood Sustainability Steward! Increase your knowledge, be part of a team, and give back to your community by joining the OSU Extension Service Benton County volunteer program: The Neighborhood Sustainability Stewards. Course starts Oct. 18 and meets at 6 p.m. for eight consecutive Tuesdays. $50 covers all your materials. For more info contact Jody Einerson 541-766-6311 or http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton/

TIAA CREFF: A TIAA-CREF Retirement Counselor will be on campus for individual consultations in October. TIAA-CREF can answer your questions regarding the Tax Deferred Investment and Optional Retirement Programs. The sessions will be held Oct. 4-6. To reserve a time to meet with a TIAA-CREF representative, call 1-866-928-4221 ext 472601. Room locations and times will be provided at the time your reservation is made.

Search Advocate workshops: OSU Search Advocates collaborate with faculty search committees to enhance the quality of university search and selection efforts. To serve in this role, search advocates must complete a two-part workshop series. Workshops for this academic year can be found on the OSU Professional Development website—the Search Advocate series is at the end of the list: http://oregonstate.edu/training/course_list.php

Traffic and maintenance

Online Parking Services: Transit and Parking Services is pleased to announce to the OSU Community the option of purchasing parking permits, paying citations, as well as submitting appeals to a citation, all online. For more information, please visit our website at: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/facilities/taps/

Jefferson Way: Due to sidewalk and landscape improvements, Jefferson Way from 30th street to 35th street and the sidewalk will be temporarily closed. We will attempt to allow one lane access, but portions of the street will need to be periodically closed. Congestion should be anticipated. Traffic control and signage will be in place to guide traffic. The shutdown will begin at 6 a.m. Sept. 20 and should end by 6 p.m. Oct. 4.

Parking lot between Rogers and Graf: Due to the use of a crane lift, associated with the project at Rogers Hall, parking lot shared by Dearborn Hall, Graf Hall & Covell Hall, will be temporarily closed. This lot is to be empty of all vehicles by the end of the day on Oct. 6. The shutdown will begin at 7 a.m. Oct. 7 and should end by 5 p.m.

Pedestrian traffic: As students return to school the Corvallis Police Department would like to remind drivers of their responsibilities regarding pedestrians crossing the street in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Drivers are required to stop, and remain stopped, for pedestrians in a cross walk when the pedestrian is proceeding in accordance with a traffic control device or crossing the roadway in a crosswalk.

Parking lots: Free parking in student/visitor lots only now through Oct 7.

Weniger parking lot: Due to fencing and construction staging, the Monroe/Weniger Lot will be temporarily shutdown and is to be free of all vehicles. The loading docks for both Gilbert Hall and Weniger Hall will remain open and accessible during this time. The lot should reopen at 5 p.m. on Sept. 23.

The Oregon State University Foundation has a job opportunity for a Telefund Manager/ Student Based Programs Manager to work at the Corvallis Office. To review a full job description and instructions on how to apply go to http://osufoundation.org/employment/

University Housing & Dining Services is seeking applicants for a Coordinator for Leadership Development and Community Involvement, full-time, 12-month, fixed term position. Posting #0007920. Closes Sept. 19.

The Financial Aid Office is seeking an Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, fixed term professional faculty position. This is an Internal Search, and is open to current, regular status OSU employees only. Posting # 0007996. Closes Sept. 26.

The Forestry, Oceanic and Atmospheric Business Center (FOBC) invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, Finance and Accounting Manager (FAM) position. This is an internal search only, open to current OSU employees. Posting # 0008006. Closes Sept. 29.

Regional Network Director: The OSU Alumni Association is looking for an experienced alumni professional to develop, lead and manage regional volunteer networks. The successful candidate will work with volunteers to develop programs to engage alumni within high-priority lifecycles: recent grads, families and mature alumni. This position will primarily work to develop and implement programs in California – home to more than 16,000 OSU alumni. Email cover letter, resume and contact information for 3 references to: osualum@oregonstate.edu. Include position title in subject line of email. For full consideration please apply by Sept. 30. Position posted at www.osualum.com/jobs

The search for Interim Dean of Engineering is underway. This is an internal search. Posting #0008018. Closes Oct. 3. Email Gigi.Bruce@oregonstate.edu for a complete position description.

College of Business invites applicants for part-time, fixed-term instructors of Entrepreneurship and Business Quantitative Methods winter and spring terms. Masters Degree required. Apply to instructor pool posting # 0007284.

Weather

Corvallis: After a fall-like weekend, temperatures will warm up early this week into the low 80s, but rain will start us out, at least giving our gardens a good watering before the warm weather reappears.

Central Oregon: Continued warm weather with highs in the low to mid 80s make it feel like summer, but later this week autumn officially arrives.